Another Newbie With Questions About The Pod Hd500... ;)

[Shaamaan]

After plugging in my new POD and playing with it for a while, I've got a few questions I haven't been able to find the answers to.

 

I was hoping some friendly soul here might clarify these issues. Note, I've got my Variax connected via the digital interface.

 

1) Right after I plugged the POD in, I noticed it's got 1.01 firmware. As L6 Monkey told me the latest is 2.2 I went ahead and installed said firmware. The update... failed. I've then did some digging and enabled test mode on the POD by holding the right arrow whilst powering the device up. Attempting to flash the POD again succeeded - after 2 more attempts. Well, I'm happy that it's working now, but I'm a bit worried about those botched updates - what could cause them and what the effects could be? Also, the settings page shows FLASH FW 2.20 and USB FW 1.01... what IS the USB FW, and why does it show such an old version?

2) I don't own a typical guitar cab nor amp. Instead, I've got a old, classic NAD amplifier originally used for playing CDs and as output for my PC. It's got a pair of old but decent speakers connected to it, and I've plugged in the POD via the 1/4" L/R outputs. I can't shake the feeling I've heard / read that there's a setting on the POD somewhere which is designed to work in this instance (i.e. no guitar amp). Am I right? If so, where is this setting?

3) The POD is a bit... complicated, to say the least. I'm reading the manuals as I'm typing this, but there's a lot of them... yes, even the manuals! I'm initially looking to get some clean tones so I can fool around with the acoustic setting on the Variax. So far all the presets I've tried are way too distorted for this to work well... Any tips?

[GTLazer]

1. It's fairly common for it to take a couple of tries to run the updates; I wouldn't worry about it. The USB FW is just a separate piece of firmware to run the USB protocols; as they haven't changed, there's no need to update it - don't think of it as an old version, think of it as still up to date.

 

2. I run my HD500 straight into active monitors, which is near enough the same as what you're doing. I find I get the best results using Studio/Direct as my output setting, but there's no hard and fast rules. Your hi-fi amp might colour the sound a bit, so you might find you prefer one of the other settings.

 

3. As with everything else, there's a difference of opinion about acoustic sounds. I don't have a Variax, but I do use an acoustic with my POD. Many on here recommend using the Vintage Preamp, which is in the EQ section of the FX list, rather than with the amps. My personal preference is the Fender Blackface normal channel. It's worth looking on Custom Tone if you're just after a few ideas to start from.

[arislaf]

1) Is covered by GTlazer.

 

 

2)By holding the HOME button on the HD hardware you will go to the settings of the unit.There, on the first page (if i am not mistaken) you will find the studio/direct.Change it at any value sounds better to you.

 

 

3)I also hear distortion on the acoustic patches.Try to reduce or remove the tube compressor.I have a sett list with the best imo presets for acoustic sounds.If you are interested sent me your email.Again, try to remove the tube compressor! 

[guitarno]

I agree with the answers that Arislaf & GTLaser have given. Having updates fail is not unusual. Make sure you are not plugged into a USB hub when doing updates. You may have better results if you don't have other things connected via USB when updating.

 

Studio/Direct is the right choice for using FRFR / P.A. / studio monitor type speakers.

 

What model Variax are you using?

 

   As far as acoustic sounds, a lot depends on how the patch is set up. Most good acoustic patches for Variax guitars use either an amp with real clean settings, no amp at all with the Vintage Preamp and or EQ's. There are a few good patches for acoustic in the "Bass-Aco-Voc" & "L6LINK --- DT" HD500 standard patch setlists, but they may be set up more for JTV variax's. One that I like is called "DI Dreadnaught" from the  "L6LINK --- DT" setlist. You should load this patch and some of the other ones in that setlist. You may need to make some adjustments for your variax. Take a look at how this patch is set up in the signal chain, and some of the other acoustic patches in this bank as well. 

 

 

You might want to review some or all of the following articles found in the "Knowledge Base" in the HD section:

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/pod-hd/pod-hd500xhd500hdhd-pro-firmware-v202-and-p-r86

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/pod-hd/pod-hd500xhd500-pedal-calibration-r161

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/pod-hd/video-tutorial-how-to-reset-the-pod-hd-series-r209

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/pod-hd/pod-hd500xhd500pod-hdpod-hd-pro-faq-r26

[Shaamaan]

Thanks a lot for all the replies! Lot's of good stuff here for a newbie like myself.

 

Cheers! :D

[GTLazer]

Off topic: I like your No Face avatar. :-)

[Shaamaan]

Off topic: I like your No Face avatar. :-)

 

Off topic: thanks! :D

 

On topic:

 

One more thing... I've connected headphones to the headphone output and, as stated, the 1/4" output to my NAD amplifier. Note, that my PC is also connected to that amplifier.

 

There's something weird with the volume. On the headphones, everything is nice, crisp and relatively loud when using medium gains and output settings. However, with the same settings, the sound coming from the amp is barely audible - and this is already with the little 1/4" switch set to "LINE"... when it was set to "AMP" it was even worse.

 

For comparison - if I plug the headphones into the PC output normally used by the amp then I get a similar volume level as when the amplifier is connected.

 

To summarize - the 1/4" output seems strangely quiet, especially when compared to the headphone output. Is there anything I can do about it?

 

EDIT: The above turned out to be a faulty cable. >_<

 

Also, bonus question: why is the PODs own expression pedal marked as EXP 2, when the I/O panel says "Pedal 2" for connecting a secondary pedal? Are the numbers deliberately swapped or is there a setting I'm missing?

Edited December 1, 2013 by Shaamaan

[arislaf]

Regarding the EX pdeal on pod, it is marked as 2 because if you press it down hardly it will go to 1 (if you assign anything to number 1)!

 

What I am trying to tell you is that you can assign an effect (e.g. wah) to number 1, and something else to number 2 (e.g. volume) .You can swap between these 2 simply by pressing fully up (toe) the exp pedal and press hard inside.